National Conference League Division Two: Bradford Dudley Hill 36 Askam 24

SECOND ROW forward Andy Walker posted a hat-trick to keep Bradford Dudley Hill in the Kingston Press National Conference Division Two promotion play-off race after a battle royal 36-24 victory against bottom of the table Askam at Parry Lane.

Hill started the contest in cavalier fashion trying to offload the ball in impossible situations, much to the annoyance of coach Lee Wilkins who was jumping up and down on the touchline in frustration.

They paid the price when Askam loose forward Zac Steel dived over in the corner from another wayward pass for the opener.

The visitors extended their lead when their most influential player, scrum half Keir Shepherd, took advantage of a kick and chase to leave the hosts in a spot of bother 8-0 down.

Hooker Sebastian Russo created a gap to put Walker on a charge to the chalk, with scrum half Callum Bacon on target with the extras, as Hill got on the scoreboard.

The lanky packman chose the same spot to collect his brace with a carbon copy shortly afterwards, leaving Bacon to guarantee full reward.

However, Askam hit the front once more when a neat runaround saw centre Ben Lewney cross the whitewash and full back James Wallace converted at his third attempt.

The old maxim that the best time to score is shortly before the interval came to fruition when centre Dan Lee sprinted 60 metres from a scrum for an absolute blinder and Bacon duly obliged with the boot to send the hosts into the sheds 18-14 up.

Hill substitute packman Martin Southwell showed his pace when he finished off a sweeping passing move on the restart.

And the best try of the game came on the hour mark when Lee broke the line in his own red zone to race all the way to the posts for another belter. Bacon continued his 100 per cent conversions rate, leaving the Parry Laners in pole position at 30-14.

Yet once again the Cumbrian visitors put a spoke in the wheel when their props Sam Broadley and Brad Kavanagh barged their way over after Hill were reduced in numbers when prop forward Kyle Bateman was shown a yellow for acting daft at the ruck.

The home fans' loudest cheer came in injury time when Walker charged up the touchline and cut inside to the posts for his trio to end what was a cracking game.

Victory leaves Dudley Hill in fifth spot ahead of a tough trip to second-placed Ince Rose Bridge on Saturday.